After a slew of bypasses, angioplasties and catheterizations, Giers’ condition appeared hopeless. When his wife Ann saw an article in Time, describing the gene therapy program at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center in Boston, Giers applied and was accepted in the program. Giers considered this to be a “last resort.”

After four months of receiving genetically engineered DNA injected directly into his heart he returned to Cocoa Beach feeling like a new man. “I have no more chest or jaw pain, which I used to have just walking to the mail box. I feel alive again,” he said.

After learning of Giers’ death at age 84 this August, we contacted Giers’ son Bill who also lives in Cocoa Beach.

“Dad died of a cardiac condition, but thanks to the heart gene therapy, the quality of his life was greatly enhanced,” said Bill. “He and my mother were able to enjoy seven years of an extended life that otherwise would not have been possible.”

Program Cited by FDA

However, saying that researchers at St. Elizabeth’s violated rules for the conduct of gene therapy experiments, the Food and Drug Administration halted the program shortly after Giers’ treatment.

One of the violations cited by the FDA involved the acceptance of a cancer patient into the program. The study involves an attempt to grow new arteries to carry blood to the heart of cardiac patients and is restricted to heart patients.

The FDA expressed concern that the gene therapy treatment may have caused the patient’s lung tumor to grow. The program was also cited for failure to notify the hospital review board of the death of a patient.

“Even though the program has been stopped, they want me to come back and be examined and tested,” Giers said at the time. “It’s unfortunate that problems have arisen… I still believe in the treatment. I know what it has done for me and others who had no hope.”

The current status of heart gene therapy is unknown, based upon our internet search on the subject. It had still been under study in our most recent report. We would be interested to hear from any member who has had experience with this subject.